Massively multiplayer educational online role playing game

ABSTRACT

A massively multiplayer educational online game presents a computer generated gameplay world where acquiring and demonstrating mastery of educational skills is a requirement for survival and advancement of a learner&#39;s game character. The game provides a method for effectively teaching a set of target educational skills by motivating the learner to improved understanding of the skills by having to demonstrate the skills as part of the game. The skills become immediately meaningful and relevant to the learner within the game itself, as feedback on skill understanding is provided directly, indirectly, or both directly and indirectly through game performance, motivating the learner to improve understanding of the skills.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application No.60/630,678, “Massively Multiplayer Online Game” filed Nov. 23, 2004,which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This application relates to a system of motivating students to achieveeducational goals using a computerized gaming activity requiring theacquisition of academic skills and demonstration of the ability toperform the acquired academic skills to successfully enjoy the gamingactivity.

2. Description of Related Art

Computerized gaming has become a popular form of entertainment. Manycomputerized games provide a virtual world with the player assuming therole of a character interacting with other characters, objects, orlocations in attempting to accomplish a series of tasks leading to someultimate goal. Currently such computerized gaming may be played on avariety of hardware platforms from specialized individual computergaming devices to games played with a general-purpose PC on a web siteon the Internet. Games that create elaborate virtual worlds and allowmultiple players to inhabit these worlds are known as massivelymultiplayer online role playing games. A variety of these games arecommonly played using the Internet.

There is an important problem in educating students in skills prescribedby formal schooling programs of all types. The problem is motivation ineducational settings where the skills taught are not immediatelyapplicable to the student's everyday life. There is an artificialmotivation required in order to successfully master these skills. Muchof formal schooling proceeds under the basis that this artificialmotivation is best achieved by compulsion on the one hand and/or learnerself-motivation on the other. This framework is not ideal and results inthe wide variation in outcomes that is endemic to most schooling.

There is criticism by parents and educators of the time spent by youngpeople in playing computerized games, particularly if the time spentwould better be used for school-related learning activities to improvescholastic performance. Therefore it is desirable to use the popularityof computerized game playing to motivate students in their academicstudies to enable the student to enjoy the game and the learningexperience.

One example of combining a game and learning software is described inU.S. Pat. No. 6,755,740 (Wen et al). This system permits a player tochoose between playing the next game stage or running the learningsoftware. If the player selects the game, the game will play normally.If the player selects the learning software it will advance the game anamount related to the score on the learning exercise, providing anincentive for the player to use the learning software. Another approachto combining game software and learning software is described in U.S.Patent Application publication number 2005/0208459 (Chang et al.). Thissystem stops the game at pre-selected events and activates the learningsoftware. The learning software exercise must be completedsatisfactorily to permit continued playing of the game until anotherpre-selected event occurs to activate the learning software.

It would be desirable to integrate the desired skill to be learned intoa game students found desirable to play, rather than having the gameactivity separate from the learning activity as in the prior art. Thisapproach provides a motivation to the player to excel at the skill inorder to advance in the game. Acquiring the skill then becomesmeaningful and relevant to the student.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The massively multiplayer educational online role playing game is alearning tool that introduces a computer generated gameplay world whereacquiring and demonstrating mastery of educational skills is arequirement for survival and advancement of the learner's representativeidentity, or character, in the game world. The game world, or realm, isplayed by multiple learners each with an individual character. Thecharacters are monitored by a level system that reflects gameperformance and assigns a variable level corresponding to thatperformance. The performance is based on mastery of a set of targeteducation skills. The learners become engaged with their characterthrough the ability to customize the character's appearance andcharacteristics so they identify with the character.

The characters interact with the game world through an activity modulethat initially assigns them individual activities with a tutorial basedon a target education skill. These activities are called jobs in thesystem. The skill is practiced in the job and immediate correctivefeedback is provided on errors, providing feedback to the learner onerrors in demonstration of the target education skills. A job iscompleted on satisfactory demonstration of the skill. The character'sgame level advances upon satisfactory completion of the skill practice,and is eligible to move to the next job, which will have an additionaltarget educational skill. Each job engages the learner in study anddemonstration of the target education skills as needed to demonstratemastery, thus relating the skill to the learner's character performingan activity using the skill, so the skill becomes immediately meaningfuland relevant.

Once sufficient jobs are completed to demonstrate a mastery of the basictarget education skills the character level is high enough to permitparticipation in projects. Projects are assigned a level so onlycharacters at that predetermined level may participate. They allow thelearner to use the skills learned in performing jobs to advance gameplay. Each project requires a skill practice of one or more targeteducation skills at a level commensurate with that practiced in thejobs. Several skills may be required for some projects. Completion of aproject gives the character a persistent gameplay object (PGO) or mayprovide an enhancement to the character itself by enhancing a specifiedcharacter attribute. Access to the next game activities, quests andcompetitions, is granted upon completion of sufficient projects toobtain the necessary PGOs or character enhancements.

Quest and competition participation requires the character possess therequired PGOs or character enhancements for the specific quest orcompetition. Success in the quest or competition may require thecharacter's or it's PGO have competitive performance attributes. Thesevary in their performance attributes. Those competitive characters withcompetitive PGOs will have mastered the target education skills anddemonstrated this in the project skill practice. Those characters withpoor performance have shown less than optimal mastery in the targeteducational skills. They may, however, return to the project for a newPGO, PGO enhancement, or character enhancement, which requires theyagain demonstrate the target education skill. The feedback to thelearner on errors in demonstration of the target education skills isthus indirectly provided by participation in a combination of two ormore activities related by the performance attributes of the characteror character's PGO when the character is sufficiently advanced toparticipate in quests and competitions. This provides the means for gameactivities without target education skills.

Craft participation requires the character possess the PGO to beimproved by the craft. In the craft the character again must demonstrateproficiency in a target education skill. Those learners demonstratingthey have mastered the target education skill will be able to createelaborate improvements to the PGO or character using an objectappearance editing tool. Those characters with poor performance willhave access to more mundane improvements.

The PGOs a character possesses in the character inventory may also bebought and sold in a character object exchange. Here characters mayexchange PGOs for monetary units, or use their monetary units to acquiredesired PGOs. Characters are not permitted to own or exchange PGOsunless their level is sufficient to qualify them for the PGO.

The massively multiplayer educational online role playing game istherefore an apparatus for teaching learners a multiplicity of targeteducation skills by first engaging the learner in the game playingsystem through creating the representative identity called the characterwho advances in the game world through performing jobs, projects,crafts, quests, and competitions to increase experience points and toobtain objects, and also exchange objects to obtain a collection thatprovides for success in quests and competitions. Further motivation isprovided by forming groups of characters in a party to venture on aquest or to compete in a competition, or in a community, where thecommunity characters contribute to improvements in the community.Success in quests, competitions and community improvements opens upadditional quests and competitions to continually engage the learner. Ineach of these activities the learner is motivated to study a multitudeof tutorials on target education skills, then practice the skills andrepeat practicing the skills, as required to demonstrate the skills. Inalternate embodiments the learner is allowed to be engaged indemonstrating the target education skills through several types ofactivities and corrective feedback is provided in direct and indirectways, or in both ways. Tutorials are made available to the learner inthe activities. Success in additional activities undertaken require thelearner demonstrate increasing mastery of the target education skill.

The massively multiplayer educational online role playing game methodprovides learners a character for the game with a starting game level.It motivates learners by providing a compelling game setting, includinggroup quests and competitions, and multiple ways to advance theircharacter's game level so the quests and competitions are open to thecharacter. The desire to participate in advancing their character levelmotivates learners to learn and demonstrate target education skills asthese must be mastered in order to participate in the group quests andcompetitions. The target education skills used are based on a definededucational level. Teaching of the skills is accomplished throughengaging the learner's character in an activity that requires studying atutorial on the basic target education skills, then providing practicein the skill. Corrective feedback is initially given directly to thelearner if errors are made in the practice, and the practice continued,as required, to demonstrate the learner learns the skill basics.Satisfactory demonstration advances the learner's game character levelan amount dependent on the errors made in the practice, and additionalactivities are made available. The character's game performance ismonitored and a game level assigned corresponding to that performance asthe character completes activities and masters the basic targeteducation skills.

Once sufficient activities are completed so the learner has a basiccompetency in the target education skills, the character is able toparticipate in more advanced activities arranged to produce a persistentgameplay object (PGO) or character attribute enhancement. These advancedactivities require practicing the target education skills using two ormore activities as corrective feedback on errors is given indirectlythrough the attributes of the PGO or character enhancement. Thecharacter's game performance is monitored and a game level assignedcorresponding to that performance as the character completes the moreadvanced activities until sufficient PGOs and/or character enhancementsare generated to permit entering quests and competitions. The characterperformance in the quests and competitions is dependant on the PGOattributes or character attributes and those with poor performance inpracticing the target education skills will perform poorly. Returning tothe advanced activities and demonstrating good performance in furtherpractice in the target education skills is required to remedy thisperformance.

The game is made available to a learner by the learner's computerconnecting to a server, such as on the Internet. Depending upon theembodiment, the server verifies the learner's payment status forparticipation in the game, and if satisfactory, the learner's profile isupdated. The selected target education skills demonstrated as mastereddetermine the learner's character level and also the furtherdemonstration of skills needed to improve this level. Successfuldemonstration of skills is documented in character's profile which isreflected in the learner's profile. Depending upon the embodiment,payment for continued participation in the game is periodicallycollected from the learner's account.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

One object of the present invention is to provide an educational gamethat motivates the player to acquire desired educational skills.

A second objective of the present invention is to provide an educationalgame that promotes teamwork by the players competing in groups orcommunities.

A third objective of the present invention is to provide an educationalgame that simulates real-world activities using a virtual economy.

A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide an educationalgame that objectively scores player educational achievement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention can be obtainedby considering the detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system structure of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the structure of a job.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the structure of a project.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the structure of a craft.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the structure of a Master Quest.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the grouping of characters in partymembership for quest participation. The miniatures of FIG. 3 at the topillustrate PGO generation in different domains.

FIG. 7 a is a block diagram of operation of the character objectexchange. The use of grouping characters in community membership tomaintain a community inventory is also shown.

FIG. 7 b is a diagram of the character inventory showing the inventoriesmaintained.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the use of a community to involvecharacters in community projects.

FIG. 9 a is a block diagram showing the method of teaching targeteducation skills to learners.

FIG. 9 b is a block diagram showing a typical method of connecting alearner to the game.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an embodiment showing an activity modulein which the distinction between jobs, projects, crafts, quests, andcompetitions is blurred to support a smaller set of target educationskills.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an embodiment showing an activity modulein which character enhancements support a smaller set of targeteducation skills.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

These reference numbers are used in the drawings to refer to areas orfeatures of the invention.

-   -   105 Learner Control Interface Module    -   110 Characters    -   112 Professions    -   114 Character Level System    -   116 Character Profile    -   118 Learner Profile    -   120 Target Education Skills    -   122 Character Inventory    -   124 Character Inventory Exchange    -   125 Character Attribute    -   126 Character Enhancement    -   128 PGO    -   130 Community Inventory    -   132 Jobs    -   134 Projects    -   136 Project Activity    -   138 PGO Enhancement    -   139 PGO Enhanced    -   140 Craft    -   142 Community    -   144 Party Membership    -   146 Quests    -   148 Competitions    -   150 Master Quests    -   154 Craft Job    -   155 Object Appearance Editing Tool    -   156 Craft Object Generation    -   158 Craft Object Enhancement Generation    -   160 Realm    -   162 Domain    -   164 Craft Zone    -   170 Skill Tutorial    -   172 Skill Practice    -   174 Skill Corrective Feedback    -   176 Skill Mastery Score    -   178 Reward    -   179 Monetary Unit    -   180 Activity Module    -   190 Community Project    -   200 Learner Connection    -   202 Billing System    -   204 Credit Validation

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The massively multiplayer educational online role playing game systemcomprises a computer generated realm (160), as shown on FIG. 1, thatserves as the social world framework to provide motivation for inducingfrequent gameplay. An activity module (180) provides for the activitiesin the realm that use the target education skills the game is designedto teach. The activities include jobs (132), projects (134), persistentgameplay object (PGO) enhancements (138), character enhancements (126)crafts (140), quests (146), competitions (148) and master quests (150).The learner (105) uses a computer device to access game activities andprovide input to the game. The game starts by selecting a character(110), and selecting a profession (112) for the character. The characterthen may engage in activities within the activity module (180) that canadvance the character's experience points in the character level system(114). The first activities are jobs (132). When sufficient jobs havebeen mastered the character is permitted to engage in projects (134).Projects (134) produce persistent game play objects (PGOs) (128) orcharacter enhancements (126) upon successful completion of the project,which are reflected in the character's performance or stored in thecharacter inventory (122), and also contribute to the character's levelin the character level system (114). Characters may also participate inspecial projects for PGO enhancement (138) once the prerequisite PGO hasbeen obtained. These also advance the character's level. Advancedplayer-directed forms of PGO enhancement, called a craft (140), are alsoavailable once a sufficient character level has been attained. The PGOsare used in quests (146), competitions (148), and master quests (150)that are available once requisite PGO's are obtained. The performance inthese also advances a character's level and provides rewards, which arePGO's in the form of ornamental trophy items, or monetary units, orother tools and implements that are useful for success on other featuresof the game. The participation in multiplayer contests, such as quests(146), competitions (148), and master quests (150) is frequently ingroups of characters through party membership (144) once a sufficientcharacter level has been attained by all of a party's members. Thecharacter level system (114) determines a character's level through thecharacter's success in the activities connected to it by the dottedlines. The system provides the level information needed to allow eachcharacter to participate in the more advanced activities as shown by thedecisions connected by a dashed line. An activity characters may alsoengage in is exchanging PGO's with other players using the characterobject exchange (124).

Characters may also join a community (142) that may have its owncommunity inventory (130) of PGO's obtained from the community members.All activities are within the same realm (180) or consistent themedgame-world, and thus the community can be a socio-political organizationsized to fit the game theme. Examples are a village, a city, a country,a region, a planet, or a galaxy.

The jobs (132), projects (134), PGO enhancements (138), and crafts (140)the character participates in require learning and demonstrating each ofthe target education skills (120) chosen for the game. This providesmeans for engaging each learner in target education skill practice. Inthe jobs (132) the learner is provided corrective feedback when errorsare made, this is direct feedback. In the projects (134), whengenerating PGO's and the PGO enhancements (138) and crafts (140) theperformance of the PGO or enhancement produced supplies the feedback,this is indirect feedback. Errors made in demonstrating the targeteducation skill results in poor performance of the PGO in quests andcompetitions. The learner's success in mastering these skills isdemonstrated by the character profile (116) that is translated into thelearner profile (118).

Learners (105) may be anyone able to operate a computer device andtherefore can include pre-kindergarten ages. The target education skills(120) must therefore be chosen for specific desired learner'seducational attainments. The learner accesses the game through a learnercontrol module (105) that may be a networked computer, a computerconnected to the Internet/Intranet, a wireless networked dedicatedgaming device, or other computer device capable of displaying the gameand accepting control inputs from the learner. The learner is engagedwith the system by creating a representative identity called thecharacter (110) in the terms of the game. The learner can customize thecharacter appearance and the learner may also create multiplecharacters, if desired. Characters (110) are visible to the learner andother players in the game realm (160). The learner's character ispersistent as it exists across multiple sessions of gameplay, and thispersistence continues indefinitely for the term of the game which doesnot have a fixed endpoint and may continue for long periods of time,i.e., months or years. The character facilitates engaging the learner inthe educational game playing system. The character (110) will reflectachievements in the gameplay through a feedback and signification schemein the character level system (114), as well as through characterattributes (125) and the amassing of increasing numbers of PGOs (128)and PGO enhancements (138).

The character level system (114) accumulates the experience andaccomplishments of the learner's character (110) by allocating anexperience point value awarded when the character successfully completesthe objective of a game activity; thus providing the means for measuringgame performance and means for scoring each group activity success. Theexperience points actually awarded the character are the experiencepoints assigned the game activity weighted by reducing factors of thecharacter's existing level, any relevant character attributes (125), andan indicator of how often the activity was attempted prior to asuccessful completion. This structure compels the learner to advancetheir characters through continuous, increasingly challenging gameplaythat requires considerable learner effort.

The character level system (114) provides feedback to the learner on thecharacter's current experience point level through visual cues like bargraphs that appear in the learner's interface (105). The learner mayalso open the character profile (116), which provides a broad view ofthe character's game experiences that are used as data for the learner'sprofile (118), which is maintained outside the game realm.

Target educational skills (120) are the knowledge that learners desireto, or it is desired for them to possess, as a result of game play. Theaggregation of these skills is broken down into discrete components foruse in the game and these discrete components are used in gameactivities.

The realm (160) refers to the server to which a learner is subscribed.In this realm the learner's character(s) and the character's possessionsare persistent. The server provides full or partial instances of thevirtual world portrayed by the game, as needed for the play in progress.The realm accommodates multiple learners and multiple characters asrequired.

A character is created with a profession (112) selected. The choicesavailable provide diverse game options in advancing a character throughthe game. The profession will bias the character towards a specific setof jobs (132) consistent with the virtual game world. This does notexempt the learner from the required target education skills (120) butit does vary the practice problems for the skill to fit the profession.The character's profession will also vary the amount of selectedadvanced game activities available, for example more enhancements to agameplay object (PGO) may be available to one profession than another tobe consistent with the virtual game world.

The learner's character starts play with a series of jobs (132). FIG. 2shows the job process. Jobs (132) are presented individually in asequence building on each other in the target education skills (120).Each job (132) includes a tutorial on one or more of the targeteducation skills (120) associated with the job. The tutorial is followedby a skill practice (172). Since the job is within the realm (160) ofthe virtual game world, the learner's character is tasked in a job tohelp non-player game characters, or other learner game characters,accomplish a task. The task is the skill practice (172) related to thecharacter's profession in the realm (example: a beastmaster may betasked with using target math skills to plan the building of an animalholding pen). The job becomes immediately meaningful and relevant to thelearner in order to advance the learner's character. The tutorial isgiven by a virtual world job master in the character's profession, whogives a comprehensive overview of the process, understanding, and stepsneeded to be performed to demonstrate mastery of the skill. Then thecharacters are given a chance to practice the skill supported bycorrective feedback from the job master while accomplishing the job. Thepace at which the job and its skills is presented is adjusted for theability of each learner. Additional tutorials and focused instructionare given as corrective feedback (174), as needed, to assist learnersstruggling with a skill. The job activity is on an individual basis sothe struggling learner does not impede the progress of a faster learner.Satisfactory mastery of the task provides the character with experiencepoints in the character level system (114). The mastery of the specificjob is also added to the character inventory (122) for possible futureadvanced use in the game activities, and to the persistent characterprofile (116). The actual experience points awarded depends on thenumber of attempts at the skill practice (172) made requiring correctivefeedback (174).

The series of jobs is the game play until the character reaches a presetlevel of accomplishment indicating sufficient mastery of the basictarget education skills (120) to allow the character to engage in moreadvanced game activity, called projects (134).

A project (134) is made available to a character when the character hasattained the required level as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows the projectgame activity. Here learners may use the skills acquired in their jobsto advance game play. Simpler projects (134) are available aftercompletion of the basic series of jobs (132). More complex projects(134) may require a level attained after completion of other projects(134), additional jobs (132) and more advanced game activities such asPGO enhancements (138) or crafts (140), or participation in quests andcompetitions. The unlocking of projects is dependent on the targeteducation skills and having demonstrated the pre-requisites of theskills. Additionally PGO enhancements require possession of the PGO tobe enhanced. A project (134) is a multi-step sequence that charactersengage in to create character-maintained persistent gameplay objects(PGO) (128) or persistent character enhancements (126). PGO (128)examples are buildings and other structures, vehicles, creatures, pets,tools, clothing, artwork, and technology items. Persistent characterenhancements are improved capabilities in character attributes (125)consistent with the game's chosen setting and story, such as greaterstrength, improved aim, or superpowers such as the ability to fly. Theseobjects or enhancements may be time limited, expiring in a period oftime unless enhanced or maintained. In addition to creating the PGO,enhancing the character, or enhancing the PGO, project or PGOenhancement completion provides the character with experience points inthe character level system (114). The PGO, character enhancement, orenhanced PGO is also added to the character inventory (122), and to thepersistent character profile (116).

Projects (134) and PGO enhancements (138) are in a domain (162), asshown in FIG. 3, that contains thematically similar elements of thevirtual game world. The domain may include domain specific jobs, projectactivities, quests, and competitions. A domain example includes a dragonacademy that offers a dragon companion PGO (128) following completionof, among the other prerequisites, a job tutorial on fence mending priorto the project of raising the dragon companion. Next, associated questsand competitions may be called names like Faraway Mountain Fetch andDragon Arena Races respectively.

Project (134) or PGO enhancement (138) or persistent characterenhancement (126) feedback is related to the skill practice (172) in theform of performance of the PGO or character attribute (125) in quests(146), competitions (148) or master quests (150). Failure to optimallyperform a skill practice (172) provides indirect feedback in the form ofa low skill mastery score (176) that appears in the game as PGOs orcharacter enhancements that are low in, or degrade in, performance. Thisprovides means for each learner to receive or improve one or morepossessions for demonstrating the target education skills. In a fantasysetting, a PGO-related example is a dragon companion for which a learnerdid not optimally size the holding pen. The dragon companion then willnot have the optimum wingspan or energy level for a dragon due to thepen being too small or having expended its energy wandering in the largepen. The character will be able to do some quests or competitions butnot all of them. Each quest or competition provides a range of characterlevel increases and those playing with degraded performance PGOs willreceive lower rewards. This provides means for a learner to receivefeedback on errors in demonstration of target education skills byreduced game performance of possessions. A character attribute (125)example in a similar setting would be battling a monster adversary witha persistent character enhancement such as a debilitating magic spell.If the learner did not respond at mastery level in the qualifyingproject, then the enhancement would not work on every attempt, and thecharacter may be thwarted in its goal to defeat this adversary resultingin lowered reward prospects.

Crafts, shown in FIG. 4, are special forms of PGOs called craft objects(156) that can be customized for use in quests and competitions or forexchange with other characters. There are multiple crafts available tocharacters when the character has attained the required level for thecrafts. A craft object (156) is generated in a craft zone (164) thatcontains various context-specific jobs (154) that must be satisfactorilymastered prior to the character being empowered with craft generationcapability. Craft zones (164) are related to project domains (162) bypossessing similar thematic elements, for example one craft zone mayprovide dragon saddles, dragon helmets, and dragon wands related to thedragon companion produced in the dragon academy domain.

Feedback is given in the form of performance of the character inproducing the craft object. The craft object (156) or craft objectenhancement (158) is related to the skill practice (172) by the qualityof the craft. Failure to optimally perform a skill practice (172)provides a low skill mastery score (176). The complexity of the craftobject generation (156) is dependent on the score. This is accomplishedwith the use of an object appearance editing tool (155), whosecapabilities are correlated to the skill mastery score (176) of theplayer. A character with a high skill mastery score may be able toproduce intricate patters on a dragon saddle, but a character with amedium score may only be able to choose basic coloration, for example.In addition to creating the craft object, craft completion provides thecharacter with experience points in the character level system (114).The PGO is also added to the character inventory (122), and to thepersistent character profile (116).

Parties (144) are transient groups of characters that are bandedtogether for specific gameplay objectives as shown in FIG. 5. They arefrequently used in quests (146) and competitions (148). Parties make itpossible to have quests and competitions that require more than onecharacter (110). An example is a quest task that may require severalcharacters or characters' PGOs to perform. Parties can also be entrantsin competitions where several parties may compete against each other.Participating in challenges that require small groups is a compellingsystem for the learner because it introduces the prospect of creatingand maintaining group cohesion, which is time consuming and rewardingand therefore adds to the motivating structure of the overall massivelymultiplayer educational online game system.

Party formation is affected by the desire to include characters frommultiple professions in order to maximize the chances for success of theparty. Example: a party on a Far Mountain Fetch Quest within the DragonAcademy benefits from a Beastmaster, because this type of character ismore likely to have increased handling skills for the Dragon CompanionPGO and will therefore be able to execute important maneuvers like aquick dive to save another party member who may slide off of theirdragon companion on a particularly tricky part of the flight path. Aparty with multiple professions increases the variety of characters and,in improving the chances of success, also increases the payoffs fromcooperation. It also motivates a higher-level strategic orientation tothe choices of the game, including those surrounding character creationand profession choice. This increased social and cooperative richnessprovides an additional dimension of player absorption in the gamesystem, further increasing the motivational power of the overall system.

In addition to the enjoyment of quests and competitions, completion ofthese provides the characters involved with additional experience pointsin the character level system (114), and the quest or competition isadded to the persistent character profile (116). The experience pointsawarded can be the same for each member of a party but will vary betweenparties depending on the performance in the quest or competition. Inaddition to character experience points, quests and competitions alsooffer rewards (178). These rewards can be ornamental trophy items, ormonetary units, or other tools, materials, and implements that areuseful for success on individual or community (142) activities. Theserewards are stored in the character inventory (122) or may be used toadvance a community (142) to which the character belongs by adding thereward to the community inventory (130).

Master quests (150) are similar to quests but they utilize PGOs from avariety of separate project domains (128) as shown in FIG. 6. Charactersmay participate in some master quests individually using their characterinventory of PGOs or may undertake the master quest (150) with othercharacters with similar or different PGOs. Differing professions of thecharacters in a master quest is useful where the characters participatewith different PGOs related to the professions. For example: aBeastmaster may participate with his or her high level Dragon CompanionPGO (128), such as X of N in FIG. 6, on a master quest in the company ofa Techomancer who may possess a high level Sea Pod PGO (128), such as Yof N in FIG. 6. Completion of the master quest (150) provides thecharacters involved with additional experience points in the characterlevel system (114) and rewards (178) that are stored in the character'sinventory (122). The quest or competition is added to the persistentcharacter profile (116).

The character inventory (122) maintains a record of all the PGOs (128),PGO enhancements (138), craft objects (156), and craft objectenhancements (158) a character has obtained. These may be from projects(134), crafts (140) or from exchange of PGOs and craft objects withother characters in the character object exchange (124) shown in FIG. 7a. Characters differ in the capacity of the character inventory (122)depending on their game experience point level and whether they possessPGOs that increase character inventory capacity, like a backpack forstorage of the PGOs. The character inventory (122) also contains rewards(178) that the character has won through the successful completion ofquests and competitions of all sub-varieties. In addition the characterinventory (122) contains the balance of monetary units (179) that thecharacter possesses, as shown in FIG. 7 b.

In the character object exchange (124) characters may barter PGOs,enhanced PGOs, craft objects (156), and reward items (178) with oneanother, or sell them for monetary units (179), providing a virtualeconomy. Characters who specialize in crafts may sell their craftobjects (156) to obtain additional character level for their efforts,creating a virtual economy. Certain PGOs and quest reward items areneeded to participate in additional quests (146) or competitions (148),others are specific inputs required for project (134) or PGO enhancement(138) completion, or are needed for a craft (140), or are necessary forimproving a community (130). The result of exchanges in the characterobject exchange (124) is a change in the character inventory (122)reflecting the exchanges made, and the exchanges are recorded in thepersistent character profile (116).

Gameplay is deepened by the character object exchange (124) becausecharacters can unlock value from their previous time expenditure andfocus areas. The benefits of an implicit division of labor are gained inthe overall system and as such provide the learner with the incentive toexplore and pursue particular tasks with high levels of concentratedeffort. This expands the amount of time a particular learner will findenjoyable to spend in the system, and therefore increases the range ofskills and deepens the mastery of specific sets of skills that thelearner has already acquired, further increasing the motivational powerof the system.

Community membership (142) is available to characters that have achievedthe basic character level by completing the jobs for that level.Characters participating in a community obtain additional rewards thataccrue to the community as it increases in value during the game. Anexample of a community in the game world may be the opportunity to joina village, city-state, or country in the realm of the game. Communitypayoffs can result from members competing successfully in competitions(148) against or with other communities. Communities may also assesstaxes on members that offset the additional payoffs. The resultantcommunity inventory (130), shown in FIG. 7 a, may be traded by communitymembers to obtain PGOs needed for other game activities, which in turnalso provide additional rewards.

Characters have an incentive to contribute rewards to a communityinventory to advance the community by involvement in projects thatimprove the community. This involvement leads to motivating a characterwith completion of the community project. Examples of community projectsare constructing dwellings, factories, mines, schools. Characters (110)contribute through providing resources in the various ways shown in FIG.8. This includes providing the resource directly from the characterinventory (124), providing the reward (178) from a quest (146) orcompetition (148), and obtaining items desired for the community fromthe character object exchange (130). The completion of projects by acommunity enhances community members level in the character level system(114), which provides these characters the opportunity for additionalgame activities, such as quests and competitions. The community servesas another motivation for the learner because it provides participationin a group activity that rewards active participation and therefore addsto the motivating structure of the overall massively multiplayereducational online game system.

The totality of game experience is recorded in a learner's characterprofile (118). The character profiles of a learner are translated into alearner profile (118) outside the game realm. This learner profile (118)is expressed in terms of mastery and performance achieved by thelearner's character(s) experiences in the game world. For the learnerthis data can also be represented visually using a bar graph, wherebasic to total mastery is presented along a continuum and thecoefficient of this is represented by line width or coloration scales orboth. This provides an effective way for the learner to gauge his or herprogress in mastering the systematic knowledge area. This profile alsoenables other selected persons, such as parents or educators, to viewhow the achievements in the game system provide mastery of the targeteducational skills (120). The achievement can be represented in term ofmastery of specific skills or standards, detailing the learner'stime-on-task and mastery level. The profile may also be aligned to otherassessments including classroom-based assessments, national and stateassessments, and normative classifications.

Operation

Teaching education skills to learners using the massively multiplayereducational online role playing game is shown in FIG. 9 a. The learneruses a computer or other gaming device capable of receiving thelearner's input to the game and displaying the game realm content. Thelearner is depicted as providing input through a keyboard in FIG. 9 a.The device is connected with the game realm (160) through a learnerconnection (200). The learner connection (200) may be an Internet webportal, a wireless network with Internet capability, or a dedicatednetwork, such as found in an educational institute. The learner usestheir character (110) to engage the game. The game assigns the characteran initial experience points level. Accumulating additional experiencepoints requires demonstration of one or more target education skills(120) in a skill practice (122). Errors made in the skill practice arecorrected by providing corrective feedback (174). This feedback may beimmediate direct feedback, or indirect feedback delayed through gameplay results as explained previously. The demonstration of targeteducation skills raises the character's experience point level an amountdependant on the errors made as reflected in the character level system(114) and the character profile (116) as also explained previously.

When the character has gained sufficient experience points more advancedgame activities become available as explained previously. These advancedgame activities provide the character with several forms of PGO fordemonstrating target education skills (120) that are maintained in thecharacter inventory (122).

A method of providing a learner (105) access to the game realm is shownon FIG. 9 b. This learner (105) uses an Internet connected computer foraccess to the learner connection (200) that contains the billing system(202), which verifies the payment status of the learner's account, orverifies the learner's credit, if a new account. Depending on the modeof operation, the learner's account is charged on a periodic basis tomaintain access to the game. The learner's profile (118) is then updatedto log the access to the game realm (160) and updated periodically asgameplay continues, as discussed previously. The learner plays the gamethrough a persistent character (110) uniquely maintained by the learneras shown in FIG. 1 and resultant gameplay is reflected in the characterprofile, and also in the learner's profile as target education skillsare demonstrated through application and mastery in the game.

Alternative Embodiments

An alternative massively multiplayer educational online game for usewith smaller sets of target educational skills is shown in FIG. 10. Herethe distinction between jobs, projects, crafts, quests and competitionsis blurred. All gameplay is within the activity module (180) in thisembodiment. The activities (132) provide a tutorial (170) that coversthe entire set of skills. Each skill is practiced (172) and correctivefeedback provided as needed. When all basic target education skills aremastered, the character is awarded a PGO (128) and then may proceed toobtain additional PGOs through skill practice (172), obtain PGOenhancements (138) through different skill practices, or continue ontoquests (146) and competitions (148). In these quests (146) andcompetitions (148), problems with PGO performance may be resolved bysatisfactory completion of skill practices before continuing on in thequest or competition. The skill practices for additional PGOs or PGOenhancement demonstrate higher-level mastery of the target educationskills than in the activity skill practice and provide both directfeedback in the skill practice and indirect feedback from the quest orcompetition as shown in FIG. 10. This embodiment is also appropriate formobile gaming devices with more limited capacity, or for youngerlearners who can grow impatient with delays in character development.

Another alternative massively multiplayer educational online game foruse with smaller sets of target educational skills is shown in FIG. 11.Here the payoff on educational skills learning applies to thecharacter's abilities (125) through character enhancements (126), whichprogressively increase the character's fitness for quests andcompetitions, but without the need to engage in projects in order toachieve these enhancements. In this embodiment, the activities (132)provide a tutorial (170) that covers the entire set of skills. Eachskill is practiced (172) and corrective feedback provided as needed.When all basic target education skills are mastered, the character'sabilities (125) are modified through character enhancements (126), whichupgrade specific abilities that are assigned to the character, with theselection of these ability types dependent on the story and setting.Characters may then proceed to obtain additional character enhancementsthrough additional skill practice (172) or continue onto quests (146)and competitions (148). The activity (132) then provides skill practices(172) with both direct feedback in the skill practice and indirectfeedback from the character ability (125) in quests (146) orcompetitions (148) as shown in FIG. 11. Depending on the level ofgameplay depth desired in the implementation of this embodiment,characters may also pursue projects, which generate PGOs (128) that areamenable to PGO enhancements (138) as indicated earlier. However, quests(146) or competitions (148) in this embodiment are capable of involvingsolely character abilities (125) as opposed to requiring PGOs (128). Anexample of such a quest would be a character or party (144) that mustbattle a monster or group of monsters in order to access rewards (178)and experience points which would then be reflected in the characterinventory (122) and character level system (114) respectively. In thesequests (146) and competitions (148), problems with character performancemay be resolved by additional, satisfactory completion of skillpractices (172), which would result in additional character enhancements(126) useful for success in the quest or competition.

Those familiar with the art recognize there are many possibleapplications and variations for the massively multiplayer educationalonline role playing game other than the embodiments recited. Thisrecitation of the preferred and other embodiments is not intended todefine or constrain the invention; rather the claims define theinvention.

1. A method of providing a massive multiplayer educational role playinggame to a learner comprising: a. connecting a learner's computer to alearner connection containing a learner profile and a billing system; b.validating the learner's credit; c. updating the learner's profile forgame access; d. selecting a multiplicity of target education skills; e.providing the learner one or more persistent characters used in the gamewith a starting character game level; f. using an activity module toprovide a multiplicity of activities; g. requiring demonstration oftarget education skills in a first group of activities to provide thecharacter a PGO; h. varying the type of PGO provided in first groupactivities dependent on errors in demonstration of target educationskills; i. providing a second group of activities without targeteducation skills; j. arranging the activity module to require apredetermined type and amount of PGO's produced by first groupactivities to successfully complete a second group activity; k. updatingthe learner's profile upon successful completion of activities fordemonstration of target education skills; and l. charging the learner'scredit card on a periodic basis whereby for a payment of money, alearner is motivated by indirect feedback to learn target educationskills.
 2. The method of providing the game as in claim 1 where thevariation in type of PGO in item h is modified by: a. providing atutorial in first group activities to assist the learner indemonstrating target education skills; b. relating use of the tutorialto an error in target education skill demonstration; c. providing anunvarying type of PGO when a target education skill error is made. 3.The method of providing the game as in claim 1 further comprisingenabling a character object exchange arranged such that charactersexchange PGO's, whereby required objects are obtained by exchange. 4.The method of providing the game as in claim 3 further comprisingproviding activities that provide a community inventory.
 5. The methodof providing the game as in claim 1 further comprising providing PGOenhancements in first group activities where the activity modulerequires a predetermined type and amount of PGO's and PGO enhancementsproduced by first group activities to successfully complete a secondgroup activity.
 6. The method of providing the game as in claim 5further comprising enabling a character object exchange arranged suchthat characters exchange PGO's and PGO enhancements whereby the requiredobject is obtained by exchange.
 7. The method of providing the game asin claim 6 further comprising providing activities that provide acommunity inventory.
 8. The method of providing the game as in claim 5further comprising providing PGO enhancements with variable performancecharacteristics in first group activities where the activity module alsorequires a predetermined performance characteristic PGO enhancementproduced by first group activities to successfully complete a secondgroup activity.
 9. The method of providing the game as in claim 8further comprising enabling a character object exchange arranged suchthat characters exchange PGO's, PGO enhancements, and PGO enhancementswith variable performance characteristics whereby the required object isobtained by exchange.
 10. The method of providing the game as in claim 9further comprising providing activities that provide a communityinventory.
 11. The method of providing the game as in claim 8 furthercomprising providing character enhancements with variable performancecharacteristics in first group activities where the activity module alsorequires a predetermined performance characteristic characterenhancement produced by first group activities to successfully completea second group activity.
 12. The method of providing the game as inclaim 11 further comprising enabling a character object exchangearranged such that characters exchange PGO's, PGO enhancements,character enhancements, PGO enhancements with variable performancecharacteristics, and character enhancements with variable performancecharacteristics whereby the required object is obtained by exchange. 13.The method of providing the game as in claim 1 further comprisingproviding character enhancements in first group activities where theactivity module requires a predetermined type and amount of PGO's, PGOenhancements, and character enhancements produced by first groupactivities to successfully complete a second group activity.
 14. Themethod of providing the game as in claim 13 further comprising enablinga character object exchange arranged such that characters exchangePGO's, PGO enhancements, and character enhancements whereby the requiredobject is obtained by exchange.
 15. The method of providing the game asin claim 14 further comprising providing activities that provide acommunity inventory.
 16. A system for motivating learner success intarget education skill practice when playing a massive multiplayereducational role playing game from a server communicated through alearner connection to a learner's control module comprising: a. amultiplicity of characters such that each learner controls one or morepersistent characters, b. the characters arranged such that they existunder the learner control during multiple sessions of game play; c. anactivity module arranged to provide a multiplicity of activities; d. amultiplicity of target education skills chosen based on the learnerseducational attainment; e. the activities arranged in a first groupincluding a target education skill practice and a second group withoutthe target education skill practice; f. a character level systemarranged to accumulate the experience and accomplishments of thecharacter by allocating an experience point value when the charactersuccessfully completes a game activity; g. a character profile that istranslated to a learner profile representing progress in mastery of thetarget educational skills; h. the character profile containing a profileof character game experiences including experience points; i. theactivities in the first group arranged to give the character apossession chosen from the group consisting of craft object and craftobject enhancement with a variable appearance; and j. the activities inthe second group arranged to show one or more possessions with avariable appearance wherein the learner is motivated by indirectfeedback to succeed in target education skill practice by the desire todisplay attractive character possessions.
 17. The system as in claim 16further comprising one or more communities with a multiple charactercommunity inventory such that first and second group activities areplayed in each community wherein the learner is motivated to succeed intarget education skill practice to advance the community in the game andproduce a favorable learner profile.
 18. The system as in claim 17further comprising: a. a multiplicity of professions arranged such thatthe learner chooses a profession for each character; b. selectedcommunity activities arranged such that one or more charactersparticipates in activities in a manner associated with the character'sprofession; c. selected group one activities arranged to provide acharacter with a profession-associated possession chosen from the groupconsisting of PGO, PGO attribute, and character attribute; and d. one ormore party, group, and community multi-character activities arranged torequire one or more profession-associated possessions for successfulcompletion of the activity, wherein the learner is provided motivationto succeed in target education skill practice to advance the characterin the game and produce a favorable learner profile.
 19. The system asin claim 16 further comprising one or more domains arranged such thatfirst and second group activities with thematically similar elements areplayed in each domain wherein the learner is motivated to succeed intarget education skill practice to continue game play in another domain.20. The system as in claim 19 further comprising in each domain, theactivity module with a predetermined experience point value of firstgroup activities in the domain required to successfully complete asecond group activity in the domain wherein the learner is motivated tosucceed in target education skill practice in order to complete secondgroup activities in the second domain to advance the character in thegame and produce a favorable learner profile.
 21. The system as in claim19 further comprising a first domain and a second domain, the activitymodule with a predetermined experience point value of first groupactivities in the second domain required to successfully complete asecond group activity in the second domain wherein the learner ismotivated to succeed in target education skill practice in order tocomplete second group activities in the second domain to advance thecharacter in the game and produce a favorable learner profile.
 22. Thesystem as in claim 16 further comprising the activity module with apredetermined experience point value of first group activities requiredto successfully complete a second group activity wherein the learner ismotivated to succeed in target education skill practice in order tocomplete second group activities to advance the character in the gameand produce a favorable learner profile.
 23. The system as in claim 16further comprising: a. a character inventory that is arranged to recordcharacter possessions; b. selected activities in the first grouparranged to provide a character inventory with a possession chosen fromthe group consisting of PGO, PGO attribute, and character attribute; andc. one or more possessions required in the character inventory forsuccessful completion of selected second group activities wherein thelearner is motivated to succeed in target education skill practice inorder to advance the character in the game and to produce a favorablelearner profile.
 24. The system as in claim 16 further comprising: a. acharacter inventory that is arranged to record character possessions; b.selected activities in the first group arranged to provide a characterinventory with one or more possessions with a variable performanceattribute, the attribute improving with fewer errors in the skillpractice; and c. activities in the second group arranged to require oneor more possessions with a selected minimum performance attribute tosucceed in the activity wherein the learner is provided motivation tosucceed in target education skill practice to advance the character inthe game and produce a favorable learner profile.
 25. A system foreducating multiple learners comprising: a. a massive multiplayer roleplaying game server arranged with an activity module; b. a multiplicityof learner control interfaces; c. a communications means between thelearner control interfaces and the game server; d. the game serverarranged to provide each learner one or more characters arranged with acharacter inventory containing possessions; e. the activity modulearranged with one or more first-type activities demonstrating one ormore target education skills, and with one or more second-typeactivities without target education skills; f. one or more first typeactivities performance arranged to award one or more of multiplecharacter possessions used in one or more second type activities; and g.a feedback means to each learner on target education skill demonstrationerrors arranged such that fewer errors in demonstration of targeteducation skill activities provide the indirect feedback of increases inthe number of available second type activities whereby each learner ismotivated to learn education skills.
 26. The system of claim 25 furthercomprising a second feedback means arranged such that direct feedback isprovided on errors in demonstration of target education skills.
 27. Thesystem of claim 26 where the feedback is varied including directfeedback, indirect feedback and both direct and indirect feedback. 28.The system of claim 25 further comprising-feedback means to each learneron target education skill demonstration errors arranged such thatpossessions used in second type activities have a degraded appearancewith increasing errors.
 29. The system of claim 28 further comprisingproviding activities that provide a community inventory.
 30. The systemas in claim 29 further comprising a character object exchange arrangedsuch that a character obtains a possession using a second possessionfrom the community inventory.
 31. The system of claim 25 furthercomprising a feedback means to each learner on target education skilldemonstration errors arranged such that character possessions used insecond type activities have a degraded performance with increasingerrors.
 32. The system of claim 31 further comprising providingactivities that provide a community inventory.
 33. The system as inclaim 32 further comprising a character object exchange arranged suchthat a character obtains a possession using a second possession from thecommunity inventory.
 34. The system of claim 25 further comprising: a.means for measuring game performance; and b. performance in second typeactivities arranged to improve with added possessions.
 35. A method ofusing a multiplayer game from a server to provide indirect feedback oneducational skill practice results to learners with a control moduleconnecting to a learner connection arranged to connect to the servercomprising: a. creating a game realm which provides a virtual worlddisplay on a learner control module; b. providing a multiplicity ofcharacters within the realm arranged such that each learner controls oneor more characters; c. keeping a character inventory of characterpossessions; d. tracking a multiplicity of character attributes; e.using an activity module to provide a multiplicity of activities; f.defining a multiplicity of target education skills chosen based on thelearners educational attainment; g. arranging the realm activities in afirst group including a target education skill practice and a secondgroup without a target education skill; h. determining errors in targeteducation skill practice; i. measuring game performance in second groupactivities; j. using one or more first type activities to vary thepossessions and character attributes provided for one or more secondtype activities dependant on errors in target education skill practice;and k. arranging second type game activities to require one or morespecified possessions and character attributes to improve gameperformance wherein the learner game performance provides indirectfeedback on errors in target education skill practice.
 36. The method ofclaim 35 further comprising: a. providing one or more possessions andcharacter attributes with limited performance attributes if errors aremade in the target education skill practice; b. allowing participationin second type game activities using possessions and characterattributes with limited performance attributes wherein the gameperformance is not improved; c. requiring further participation in oneor more first type game activity to obtain possessions and characterattributes with improved performance; and d. providing possessions andcharacter attributes with improved performance when less errors are madein the practice wherein the learner game performance provides indirectfeedback on errors in target education skill practice.
 37. The method ofclaim 35 further comprising providing a tutorial on the target educationskill whereby direct feedback is also provided when the learner makeserrors.
 38. The method of claim 37 further comprising varying thefeedback between direct feedback and indirect feedback.
 39. Amultiplayer game for teaching learners a multiplicity of targeteducation skills from a server communicated through a learner connectionto a learner's control module comprising: a. means for engaging eachlearner in target education skill practice; b. means for each learner toreceive one or more game possessions for demonstrating the targeteducation skills; c. means for measuring game performance; d. means forgame activities without target education skills; and e. means for alearner to receive feedback on errors in demonstration of targeteducation skills by reduced game performance of possessions in gameactivities without target education skills.
 40. The multiplayer game ofclaim 39 further comprising means for a learner to improve possessionperformance in game activities.
 41. The multiplayer game of claim 39further comprising means for a learner to improve character performancein game activities.
 42. The multiplayer game of claim 39 furthercomprising means for a learner to increase available game activities.43. The multiplayer game of claim 39 further comprising means for alearner to exchange game possessions with a second learner.
 44. Themultiplayer game of claim 39 further comprising means for providing avirtual economy between characters using monetary units.
 45. Themultiplayer game of claim 44 further comprising means for a learner toobtain monetary units through game activities.
 46. The multiplayer gameof claim 39 further comprising means for direct feedback to a learner onerrors in demonstrating target education skills.
 47. The multiplayergame of claim 46 further comprising means for varying the feedback tothe learner on errors in demonstration of the target education skillswherein the feedback is direct feedback, indirect feedback, or bothdirect and indirect feedback.
 48. A method of providing indirectfeedback on education skill practice errors to a learner playing aneducational game: a. providing the learner one or more characters usedin the game with a starting character game level; b. selecting a set oftarget education skills; c. requiring a first type of game activityincluding target education skill practice to obtain a characterpossession; d. providing one or more character possessions with limitedperformance attributes if errors are made in the target education skillpractice; e. allowing participation in second type game activitieswithout target education skills using possessions with limitedperformance attributes; f. determining a game performance level onsecond type game activities; g. requiring further participation in oneor more first type game activity to obtain possessions that improve gameperformance level; and h. providing possessions with improvedperformance when less errors are made in the practice wherein thelearner game performance provides indirect feedback on errors in targeteducation skill practice motivating the learner to reduce errors. 49.The method of claim 48 further comprising: a. providing a characterinventory to maintain character possessions; b. requiring specificcharacter possessions in inventory to improve game performance level insecond type activities; and c. withholding character possessionsrequired to improve game performance level when errors are made in firsttype activity target education skill practice whereby the learnerreceives indirect feedback on errors in target education skill practicefrom game performance.
 50. The method of claim 49 further comprisingproviding a character object exchange arranged such that charactersexchange possessions.
 51. The method of claim 48 where item d. is: d.providing one or more character possessions with limited performanceattributes and a degraded appearance if errors are made in the targeteducation skill practice; whereby the learner receives indirect feedbackon errors in target education skill practice from character possessionappearance.